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Certificates of insurance: what GCs actually check

6 min read · Updated 21 Aug 2026
By Habib Saulat · reviewed by Hasan Tariq Reviewer: RIBO Level 2 Licensed Insurance Broker · Managing Partner, Billyard Insurance Group Vaughan Verify reviewer licence All articles by this author
YOUR BUSINESS COIs · contractors
Short answer

A certificate of insurance (COI) is proof, not coverage — it summarizes your policy for the party requesting it. GCs check five things: the limit, the additional insured wording, primary & non-contributory, the expiry date, and whether the certificate holder is named correctly.

Contractors lose start dates over paperwork more often than over price. The certificate is the last document standing between a signed subcontract and being allowed on site — and the compliance desk reviewing it has a checklist.

The five-point check

  • Limits match the contract — a $5M requirement with a $2M certificate is an automatic bounce.
  • Additional insured — the GC (and often the owner) must be named, with the right wording, not just listed as certificate holder.
  • Primary & non-contributory — if the contract requires it, the certificate must show it. Not automatic on Canadian wordings.
  • Dates — policy period must cover the project schedule. Mid-project expiries trigger re-certification.
  • Legal names — yours and theirs, exactly. Numbered-company mismatches are the most common rejection.

WSIB clearance is a separate document

A WSIB clearance certificate is not insurance and does not appear on your COI — it is issued by WSIB and confirms your account is in good standing. GCs need both. Treat them as two items on the same pre-mobilization checklist.

Illustration of a building project, hard hat, tools and a blue protection shield
Contract in hand, certificate due?Send the insurance clause with your request — the licensed partner issues a certificate that matches it the first time.
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Frequently asked

How fast can a certificate be issued?
Once coverage is bound, same-day issuance is normal. The delay risk is in binding new endorsements, which is why the contract clause should travel with the quote request.
Does an additional insured endorsement cost much?
Blanket additional-insured endorsements are often modest; the primary & non-contributory piece is the one some insurers charge for or decline.
Can the GC rely on the certificate alone?
Sophisticated GCs may request endorsement copies too, since the certificate itself confers no rights. Expect that on larger projects.

This article is general information, not insurance advice. Insurance Genie is not an insurer, brokerage or agency. Coverage is defined by the policy wording issued by the insurer and confirmed by the licensed organization that places it.

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